


Before it all started

by naps_and_coffee



Category: One Piece
Genre: I have no feeling please understand, Life cycle of a phoenix, M/M, Mentioned Portgas D. Ace, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:00:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25933279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naps_and_coffee/pseuds/naps_and_coffee
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, Marco did die. He died a lot of times too.
Relationships: Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco & Portgas D. Ace, Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco & Shirohige | Whitebeard | Edward Newgate, Fushichou Marco | Phoenix Marco/Portgas D. Ace
Comments: 6
Kudos: 80





	1. Time of departure

**Author's Note:**

> Still in a shock after getting my revision draft returned. So, no feel.at all. Have this flat fic. 

Contrary to popular belief, Marco did die. He died a lot of times too (before the fire of resurrection brought him back), nobody knew about it though (almost), and it stayed that way for decades.

That was how Marco meant to keep his secret. For it to stay that way, even if it meant that he had to leave his home when the particular time in his cycle came and called for him.

His demise and his reborn.

"Damn Marco, you look like you're dying! Your old age catching on you yet?"

Marco looked at his bestest friend and brother, Thatch, with a 'guess what?' face. Annoyed.

"Shut it, Thatch."

Because indeed until his life cycle restarted again, he would feel like a dying man. Feeling like being spread thin and so so ready to kick the bucket.

Well, not really, obviously not in the meantime, while Thatch was yapping at him with his less than thoughtful questions.

"Marco?"

They both looked at the captain of the ship.

"Yes, Pops?"

"You're to do a scout for that new island the navigating team telling us about. Think you can do that on your own?"

Thatch looked at their Pops horrifiedly. "Pops! Marco is not well, maybe we can use someone from other divisions? If not, I can go."

"No. Marco will go." Edward Newgate eyed his first mate, a conviction was apparent in his voice, he was not to be bargained about this. "You can do that, Marco?"

Marco smiled at his pops gratefully. "Yes, I will go."

Thatch complained again but getting ignored. In the end, he was convinced that their Pops was indeed trying to kill Marco (which was true, to some extent, but Thatch didn't need to know that). 

* * *

Marco went to the captain's cabin later that night. Finding his pops was still awaked despite his meds and not surprised. Edward Newgate had very sharp intuition and Marco's cycle was one of the things he was so keen for. How though, Marco didn't understand, it was not like his cycle was following a schedule. 

"You're going now?" Captain asked in a clear voice, somehow. Not slurred or half awake.

Marco smiled. There was tension on his pops' stance that couldn't be recognized easily by anyone else, but Marco had been with Edward Newgate forever, so he knew. Man was one of the few who actually knew Marco's story and accepted him the way he was, though not without feeling that guilt-pain that came with it.

The captain had insisted on being Marco's company during his cycle once, then coming out all scarred and hugging Marco way too tight when the fire brought him back because he couldn't bear to watch Marco died that way.

He never asked again after that, which Marco appreciated greatly.

"The faster the better."

Even Marco's smile couldn't appease the tension and wariness in Newgate's.

"When will you be back?" he asked, almost hollow.

Marco hummed. "Soon."

Edward Newgate held out his gigantic hand and Marco knew to let himself being held for a moment. On the moment of sentimental, he kissed his captain goodbye before jumping down Moby and turned into a full phoenix.

His flight of death.


	2. Flight of return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marco usually settled for returning to Moby at night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was supposed to be one-shot but adding this part to the previous one felt rushed somehow. Anyway, enjoy the unfeelingness of this fic.

Marco usually settled for returning to Moby at night. He loved seeing how restlessness in Pops' sleep melted into a soft and calm snore as if the man recognized his presence even in his sleep.

Then Marco would greet some bros who took the watch while making a way to his room. Working on a written report right away because after being reborn he couldn't afford to get sleepy even if he wanted to.

This time though, there was a gnawing feeling telling him that somehow things would be different? It was something unexplainable and even he could do unexplainable once in a while (he was not a hypocrite that was why).

Hence his return flight while the sun was still high.

Not his intention to run to his bestest bro, Thatch, who somehow had developed a radar so he could find Marco wherever he was in Moby.

"I swear you're glimmering." Thatch stared at his just-returned-bro with a wonder. "And to think that you looked like a dying bird just fortnights ago."

The chef hummed, still inspecting the newly born (not really) Marco. "You said it was an uninhabited island?"

Marco confirmed it, dropping the topic as he looked around Moby questioningly. Searching for that something-unexplainable in the air. Because in his prime condition, his sense indeed could catch on things faster.

"We have a guest?"

Thatch looked at Marco as if he went beyond glimmering and grew a halo above his pineapple hair. That was before an 'aha' moment passed by and the chef grinned for some reasons.

"Ah, yes. There was a rookie on the ship? Trying to get Pops' head and failing, obviously. You may want to talk to him. Actually, I think Pops may want you to talk to him, what with you being a feral whisperer and all."

Marco looked at Thatch, processing the information despite the absurdities, before asking, "What?"

Thatch only gave him double thumbs up, while smiling suspiciously. Suddenly (not really, he could sense it coming but still), a gigantic hand went to pat his shoulder, softly, warm even. Marco knew who it was even before he looked back.

And there he was.

Marco looked back to his Pops, seeing the relief on his pops' eyes (like every other time he was back after completing another cycle). Watching as Edward Newgate smiled at him.

"Welcome back, Marco."

There was no welcome kiss or hug because they were in the open deck, even if they knew that Pops could be sentimental too sometimes. Still, Marco could not hold back not smiling back to the man. Sharing things that only them two understood.

Until he remembered what Thatch just said. 

"Thatch told me there was a new unwilling recruit?"

Edward Newgate smiled so wide Marco could hear his own eyes rolling to the back of his eyes. Ah, here we go again.

"Yes, I will talk to him." said Marco, even before the captain asked. 

(That new recruit tried to burn Marco at least thrice before realizing that he was indestructible)

(Marco felt his lifespan shortened away and he lazily dreaded for another flight to his death, again).


End file.
